So as it turns out...maybe...NOT a heart attack?

[MissGotRocks]

@mrs-b so on it goes. It does sound though as if they are finding certain things to target and treat so that's always a good thing. I hope that they are finally able to find the source or sources of the inflammation that seems to be wreaking havoc. I know that you are as strong as they come and have no doubt that you will weather these storms. In the meantime of living it day to day, I am sure it becomes debilitating. Hang in there and we will hope and pray for the answers you need!

 

[mrs-b]

@mrs-b so on it goes. It does sound though as if they are finding certain things to target and treat so that's always a good thing. I hope that they are finally able to find the source or sources of the inflammation that seems to be wreaking havoc. I know that you are as strong as they come and have no doubt that you will weather these storms. In the meantime of living it day to day, I am sure it becomes debilitating. Hang in there and we will hope and pray for the answers you need!

Good morning, @MissGotRocks

You know what I need? I need a beautiful new piece of jewelry. It's my birthday in 18 days, and I'm really - and I mean REALLY - hoping my new ring by DKJ is ready by then. It's going to be a close run thing with so much shut down, but it would be a wonderful thing to have a lovely new sparkly to stare at while I'm getting poked, prodded, stuck in MRI tubes, put under general anaesthetic, sliced up, and basically treated like somebody's science project.

I need BLING!!

(ETA Watch this space!)

 

[MissGotRocks]

Good morning, @MissGotRocks

You know what I need? I need a beautiful new piece of jewelry. It's my birthday in 18 days, and I'm really - and I mean REALLY - hoping my new ring by DKJ is ready by then. It's going to be a close run thing with so much shut down, but it would be a wonderful thing to have a lovely new sparkly to stare at while I'm getting poked, prodded, stuck in MRI tubes, put under general anaesthetic, sliced up, and basically treated like somebody's science project.

I need BLING!!

(ETA Watch this space!)

So funny you say that - I was going to suggest it but thought better of it if you were feeling poorly. You absolutely need some bling to brighten your days! Hope that comes through for you in time for your big day!

We will be watching with our fingers and toes crossed!

 

[marymm]

mrs-b, I forget if you were tested already for COVID-19 (I assume so) and even if you were tested before, have they tested you again? I've been wondering if your doctors have definitively ruled out hyper-inflammatory response to COVID-19; it seems to fit so much of what you've posted about in this thread in terms of your symptoms and test results...

Looking forward to seeing what you may have in mind for your Birthday bling; shiny sparkly things bring a special kind of joy I think.

 

[mrs-b]

mrs-b, I forget if you were tested already for COVID-19 (I assume so) and even if you were tested before, have they tested you again? I've been wondering if your doctors have definitively ruled out hyper-inflammatory response to COVID-19; it seems to fit so much of what you've posted about in this thread in terms of your symptoms and test results...

Looking forward to seeing what you may have in mind for your Birthday bling; shiny sparkly things bring a special kind of joy I think.

Hi @marymm

I agree with you re Covid fitting so many of my symptoms. But I also have Crohn's, and I've had raised inflammatory markers for decades. Ditto re gut issues. I think a few of us wondered tho - thus I was tested 6 times over a period of some weeks. Definitely not Covid. To be honest, in some ways I kinda hoped it was - a nice clear diagnosis, a recovery, then...antibodies! But nope. This is a lifelong thing for me.

 

[pearaffair]

I've been thinking of you, sending you well wishes! And now I will cross my fingers that your new bling arrives ASAP but at the least, within 18 days <3

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

Hi @marymm

I agree with you re Covid fitting so many of my symptoms. But I also have Crohn's, and I've had raised inflammatory markers for decades. Ditto re gut issues. I think a few of us wondered tho - thus I was tested 6 times over a period of some weeks. Definitely not Covid. To be honest, in some ways I kinda hoped it was - a nice clear diagnosis, a recovery, then...antibodies! But nope. This is a lifelong thing for me.

a first for everything
being sad someone doesn't have covid 19
take care Mrs B
looking forward to your birthday already

 

[Tekate]

@mrs-b I'm glad you are having surgery. I guess you will be the scan queen of PS! I'm sorry you have Crohn's my SIL has it and her life has been very hard trying to stay healthy. It stopped her from traveling (colostomy bag). It's as though our bodies are allergic to itself. I'm sorry you have to go through this. I think of you every day.. I AM watching for some new bling... can't wait.. sending you love. Kate

 

[Karl_K]

@mrs-b how is your weekend going?
@TooPatient how is your hubby doing? studying?

 

[mrs-b]

Hi @Karl_K -

My endarterectomy has been pushed back 5 days, because all elective surgery in MA has been pushed back 5 days. At the moment, I'm dizzy most of the time, but am still doing my best to eat well and exercise. I often have to suddenly grasp my husband's hand when we walk, when a wave of dizziness hits me and the pavement feels like it's suddenly rising up to meet me. Not good.

With the pushback of the surgery, there's a good chance I'll be in hospital still for my landmark birthday on the 20th. We were *meant* to be in Paris right now. Instead, I'm having my carotid artery cleaned out. As parties go...this isn't one.

But Karl, I read about the death in your family, and in retrospect I think I need to complain less and be more grateful for the time I have. All things on balance, I am one of the most blessed women I know, blocked arteries or not blocked arteries. So I apologize for whinging, and will say instead - I'm still here, I have the best care available, and I'm surrounded - either physically or virtually - by people who love me.

God is good.

 

[Niffler75]

@mrs-b Continuing to keep you in my thoughts! ......and you have every right to have a whinge! I am sure my fellow PSers will agree we wish we could do more but we are here for you lovely lady. Take care x

 

[Karl_K]

I am sorry to hear it was pushed back 5 days :{
Prayers continue.
Its not whinging if someone asks or is waiting to hear how your doing!

 

[Dancing Fire]

Just hang in there Mrs. B you'll be fine!...

 

[amti]

Hello Mrs. B. You don't know me but I have seen some of your beautiful pieces on the preloved page, where I mostly hang out because, well, who doesn't love a deal, right? So sorry you are spending so many days in the hospital. The world is ugly right now so at least you are safe. Praying you get results and are on the mend in no time, esp by your birthday!!!

 

[AV_]

Let Europe scrub up for a year before paying any visit, @mrs-b ,( I will be counting down the four days remaining until your surgery.

 

[mrs-b]

Let Europe scrub up for a year before paying any visit, @mrs-b ,( I will be counting down the four days remaining until your surgery.

I think you're right on that, @AV_ - one day for sure...but not right now.

And just to clarify - op was meant to be next Friday and has been pushed back to the following Wednesday - ergo - 11 days away. I really want to get this squared away and am getting a LOT of dizziness, so I was relieved it was this Friday. Adding another 5 days is stressful and I'm not lovin' it.

 

[AV_]

I was counting days trhoughout your posts while you were writing.

 

[AV_]

ctd. I will not be forgetting your patience & hope it is seen & heard & healing comes. June is filled with holidays & prayer in my tradition, perfectly timed. On my side of things, life is moving very fast too [seeing is believing.]

 

[Tekate]

@mrs-b hola! you are a gem, you are star, you are a huge diamond! and you know what, you are very generous.. with you time, and kindness.. so there.

Dizziness is often times your ears... have they done the ear drop, turn etc to ensure the crystals (hey another gem) in your ear aren't moved around?

I know also it can be heart probs or blocked cartoid etc too. so I am not going to make light of this symptom but it couldn't hurt to have them check your ears.

we are friends

 

[Queenie60]

((hugs)) and prayers to you @mrs-b

 

[Niffler75]

@mrs-b Just checking in to see how you are.

 

[AGBF]

I hope you are holding up well, mrs-b. I am thinking of you.

 

[Karl_K]

@mrs-b prayers continue.
@TooPatient prayers continue.

 

[mrs-b]

I'm completely freaked out, to be honest. I had a telecon appt with the neurologist yesterday, and...wow. He said I have a 9% risk of stroke in the 2-5 years after I have the stent put into my carotid. It's a lot better than if I didn't have it, of course, but 9% as a best case scenario isn't fabulous. He also described my current situation as critical. Told me they measured the blood pressure in my carotid; it was something like 9 times higher than it should be. So I have this blockage I'm perpetually pummeling with high pressure blood flow. Damn this pandemic! I would have had this procedure weeks ago had the hospitals been open for elective surgery - tho this doesn't sound very 'elective' to me at this point. I'm also having a lot of bleeds and hematomas from all the blood thinners I'm on, and I've been having headaches, dizziness and a pounding pulse in my left temple. I'm also not supposed to exercise, due to the pressure, which is just plain frightening - I mean - when was the last time a doctor told anyone - 'don't exercise'???

My gut has been good tho, and the new drugs I'm on seem to be doing the trick there, so I'm really relieved about that.

I'm incredibly tired, AND it's my birthday in 8 days. My procedure was supposed to be today, but since it's been pushed back to next Wednesday, there's every chance now I'll still be in there for my birthday next Saturday. Since both my parents died in their 50's, making it to 60 is incredibly significant to me and always has been - all my adult life, in fact. It's been my one goal of this nature. It was going to be a huge celebration. And now this.

On the other hand, Tim, my husband, is basically just letting me shop to distract myself. He walked into the bedroom the other day and looked at my computer screen and said -

"Oh! That's a nice - what are you looking at?"

Me - very abrupt: "I'm replacing all the furniture in the bedroom. I don't want to talk about it."

Him - backing out slowly: "Ok...."

Or yesterday, when there was a knock on the door -

Me: "Can you get that please?"

Him: "Sure - who is it?"

Me, in that 'don't argue with me' tone: "It's the dry stripping company. I'm having all the patio furniture stripped and powder coated. We're going red."

Him - backing out slowly: "Red? Um...sure...no problem... I'll just help him carry it all to the truck..."

Sigh. I'm a real peach to live with at the moment - I know this about myself. Ugh. And yesterday I had a nasty fall in my laundry. I came in from watering the garden, wet feet, got to the laundry where we've just had the wood floors stripped back and re-varnished (VERY slippery) - lost my footing - and came down a beauty, twisting my knee before I hit the floor. Spent all this morning at physical therapy and the rest of the day on pain meds in bed. Awesome. Things are just fabulous for me at the moment....

There. I am now done complaining. Here's a photo of me zooming with a friend. I snapped this because I caught myself smiling, and it felt like the first time I'd smiled in forever.

All up, I'm pretty miserable right now.

ETA On the up side, I have excellent teeth. Altho, my sister always used to tell me how big they were, and that - every time I smiled - she felt like she was in jail. I still chuckle, remembering that....

Before all this started I had hoped to have a neck lift this September. You can see a patch of wrinkles at the base of my neck: that's actually a scar from a surgery I had years ago. They made a mistake intubating me and I bled during the procedure and formed a huge hematoma and it closed off my airways. They tried a small nick mid procedure to drain it, but it kept bleeding and I stopped breathing. So they did a big up/down incision down my neck to drain it, and it puckered as it healed, pulling the skin either side of it together. So I was hoping to get that finally fixed this year, but will now have to put it off. One day....

 

[Matata]

You'll be 60 for an entire year and can have a whopper of a celebration once you're back on your feet. With two things to celebrate -- a milestone BD and the end to your clogged pipes, I think a multi-day event is in order. And once that is finished, perhaps a PS get together near you involving bling and champagne.

 

[Karl_K]

Your a perfectly perfect Lady just as you are just ask Tim.
I hate it when doctors use percentages, if i believed doctors I would have been dead at 35 but I'm still kicken if a little messed up at 50.
Ouch ouch on the fall that was bad but compared to what could have happened.........
knee mail outgoing! God has this!!!!

 

[Dandi]

Goodness me lady, you do have amazing teeth! You are truly, truly lovely.

 

[caf]

MrsB - I too turned 60 this year. All of our Travel plans were put on hold. So I got my cabinets painted! Do whatever makes you feel better emotionally. You want red garden furniture- G-d bless! Your H sounds like a keeper. Chin up. (And good luck on procedures!)

 

[AV_]

@mrs-b Now, this is a birthday to remember for a hundred years after! Difficult to think of what could be as much of a monument among diamonds - it'd have to be a fully reckless bet of a rock [nothing to hint.] Will they remove the stent afterwards?

 

[Queenie60]

@mrs-b - I'll be 60 in November! We are the same age. You will get through this, I just know it in my heart. Hang in there, you're tough. You are a warrior and will get through all of this shit and be better for it. I pray for you daily, God knows! Be strong and the rewards are within your reach. Your husband is a lovely man and for that I am sure you are grateful. (((hugs)))) and prayers. Love you. Q